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War of the Rebellion: Serial 128 Page 0404 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.

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and volunteers and the cavalry force of the different rendezvous which are necessary. In organizing a rendezvous at Fayetteville I applied to General Bragg to supply this want, and he replied that he had no officer who could be spared and that I must make some other shift. I was reluctant to have money placed in the hands of an officer who was not bonded. I saw Major Jones, assistant quartermaster at this post, explained the matter to him, got his consent to perform the duties of post quartermaster; saw Captain Cobb, explained the want to him, and he consented to go to Fayetteville until some other provision could be made. I then gave the order for him to proceed on that duty, directing him to return to this post as soon as that place could be provided for. These are the facts. If I have done wrong in temporarily using an officer you had placed on duty here, I certainly thought that I was advancing the best interests of the service and did not doubt but that you would approve the act. I acted with like motives, though with the approval of General Bragg, given me by telegram, in the order to Colonel Blake, at Knoxville, to forward to his army the conscripts at Knoxville. That was the order Colonel Blake telegraphed you, militated with his instructions.

Having established Colonel Lea, a most efficient officer of the Are in this bureau, and Major Matthews giving me the information that in the counties contiguous to Fayetteville, in this State, there were 3,000 men liable to conscript duty around in that neighborhood, and having applied to me for orders to be placed at that place, saying he could be much more useful there, I placed him in command at that rendezvous. I fear I have done wrong in that, too. I had supposed the object of the Government was to get the men who are liable as conscripts into the army as rapidly as possible; and having been put on this duty by General Bragg from the supposition on his part that I could render efficient service, and being in the field actively on duty, I cannot but feel mortified that my orders should have given occasion for your displeasure.

I am persuaded that if you could be here yourself and see how little is being done by conscripts officers, and how much there is need of an efficient head to that bureau in the field, you would feel less disposed to [find] fault [with] my orders. I will in the future carefully avoid doing anything that can give you cause of reprimand. I will await your orders in regard to ordering Major Matthews back. I make no pretension to the right to interfere with you officers or orders. In my oversell to be useful and to accomplish much in the pressing wants of General Bragg's army, I presumed too much upon your appreciation of my services and your approval of what I thought was evidently right under the circumstances.

Respectfully,

GID. P. PILLOW,

Brigadier-General, C. S. Army, and Chief of Bureau.

MILLEDGEVILLE, February 18, 1863.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS:

Owing to the drought last summer a large part of Cherokee, Ga., did not make a support. Corn now worth $3 a bushel, and soldiers' families suffering. In this exigency the little supplies of provisions in the hands of a few is being seized by Confederate officers, leaving none to distribute to relieve those likely to starve. If this continues the rebellion in that section will grow, and soldiers in serv-